I've tried to research this on the Internet, but I am not finding any answer. On the FAST scale it says: "7-a: Ability to speak limited to approximately half a dozen intelligible different words or fewer in the course of an average day or in the course of an intensive interview." Does that mean that the LO only knows a half dozen words? Many days my mom probably doesn't speak that many. But she is capable at times of saying more. No conversations or long sentences of course, but she can tell me she loves me when I leave. In fact she can say, "I love you more than anything." Other than that she primarily says yes or no. She can also tell me "you get some rest," when I tell her I am leaving and for her to rest well. One day this week I asked her if she would like me to do a certain thing and she said, "have to think about it." So she is capable of uttering more than six different words. I never hear her say anything to her aides or the nurse other than yes or no. So does that meet the criteria for 7a? I know my mom meets the criteria for 7-c and 7-d. She can not walk at all, and she must be placed in a Brody chair to sit otherwise she will fall out of the chair.

I know it says that with AD the steps are always met in sequence, but does that mean that the sub-steps also must be met in sequence? 7-b is saying only 1 intelligible word in the course of a day. When she only says yes or no, that would qualify, but she can say more than 1 word. I am arranging for hospice to come evaluate my mom, and I know they utilize the FAST scale. I'd just like to feel I have as much information as possible before the evaluation, not that my having information will change anything but it just makes me "feel" better.

My experience with several Hospice providers is that they will be looking for ANY stage seven symptom(s)....any one will do. Patients do not always progress through the symptoms in order (as many have reported "skipping around"). Whatever the most advanced symptom they have presented with determines their stage.